וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י אֱמֹ֤ר לָהֶם֙ לֹ֤א תַֽעֲלוּ֙ וְלֹא־תִלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ כִּ֥י אֵינֶ֖נִּי בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְלֹא֙ תִּנָּֽגְפ֔וּ לִפְנֵ֖י אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃
And YHWH said to me, ‘Say to them: You shall not go up, nor shall you fight, for I am not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies.’
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾmr); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- אֵלַ֗י (ʾelai) – Root: אל (ʾl); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- אֱמֹ֤ר (ʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾmr); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Say”; Notes: Direct command.
- לָהֶם֙ (lahem) – Root: ל (l) + הם (hm); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- לֹ֤א תַֽעֲלוּ֙ (lo taʿalu) – Root: עלה (ʿlh); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You shall not go up”; Notes: Prohibitive command.
- וְלֹא־תִלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ (velo-tillakḥamu) – Root: לחם (lḥm); Form: Niphal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “nor shall you fight”; Notes: Continues the prohibition.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי (ky); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- אֵינֶ֖נִּי (ʾeineni) – Root: אין (ʾyn); Form: Particle of non-existence with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “I am not”; Notes: Emphasizes divine absence.
- בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם (beqirb’khem) – Root: קרב (qrb); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “among you”; Notes: Indicates proximity.
- וְלֹא֙ (velo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Expresses caution.
- תִּנָּֽגְפ֔וּ (tinnagg’fu) – Root: נגף (ngf); Form: Niphal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you be struck down”; Notes: Passive voice.
- לִפְנֵ֖י (lifnei) – Root: פני (pny); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates position.
- אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ (ʾoyveikhem) – Root: אויב (ʾyb); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your enemies”; Notes: Refers to opposing forces.